Epidemiology in childhood

Malignant disease affects 10 per 100,000 children per year.

The breakdown is:

• leukaemia 3.0
• CNS tumours 2.5
• reticuloendothelial system 1.0
• neuroblastoma 0.9
• Wilm's tumour 0.5
• bone tumours 0.5

Note that acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the commonest form of leukaemia in children. Less than 5% of childhood tumours are acute or chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Generally childhood tumours tend to be poorly differentiated, fast growing, very malignant, very vascular and to show early and widespread early metastasis.

Reference

1. Reaman G. Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine. 6th Edition. Chapter 140a. Pediatric Oncology: Principles and Practice